Half to s



I zsheet's-sheet 1 (No Model.)

A. C. SPRINGER'.

GAB BRAKE.

No. 256,604. Patented Apr.1a,1882.

N. PEYERS, Phowumogmpher. washington, n.12.

(No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 2.

' Le. SPRINGER.

GAR BRAKE.

N0.256,604. Patented.Apr.18,l882

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

AMOS C. SPRINGER, OF SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA, ASSIGNOR OFONE- HALF TO S. HOLLADAY, OF SAME PLACE.

CAR-BRAKE.

SPECIFICATION 'forming part of Letters Patent No. a5e,eo4,aatea April 18, 1882,

Application filed January 27, 1882.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that l', AMos C. SPRINGER, of the city and county of San Francisco, State ot' California, have invented an Improved Car- Brake; `and I do herebydeelare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description thereof.

My invention relates to a new and useful means for operati n g the brakes of cars, being especially adapted for application to an entire f 1o train; and it consists in operating au ordinary form of double-acting brakes now in use by means of a certain central gear-Wheel under each car, said gear being operated by eXtensible rack-rods, the ends ofwhich are coupled together between each car of the train, thus forming acontinuous rod to the operating-power, either iu the engine or caboose, as will hereinafter more fullyappear, reference being made to the accompanying drawings.

Figure I is a" bottom view. Fig. 2 is a longitudinal vertical section. Fig. 3 is a detail perspective. l

The object of my invention is to provide a means for applying all the brakes upon an entire train ot' cars by a single operation, and is an improvement upon a similar invention for a like object for which Letters Patent of the United States No. 244,495, dated July 19,1881, were granted to me.

Let Arepresenta car having the usual trucks with wheels B B.

C C are the brakes adapted to be forced against all the wheels ot' the car in the manner usual in the com mon form of brake now usedthat is to say, by suitable connections from the hand-wheels on top of the car through chains and brake-stai's with the main lever D, pivoted to a support under the car, and by which the rods E and F, attached to the lever D upon 4o each side ot' its pivot-point, are operated. The

rod E connects with the lower end of a lever,

G, supported by and pivoted or hinged to an end brake, and whose upper end is connected by a rod, E', with the brake upon the inside.

- The rod F connects with a similar lever, G',

similarly supported and hinged to the other end brake, and which is connected by a rod, F', with the other brake upon the'inside.

The operation of this braking device is thus:

o The lever D being moved, the rods E and F (No model are drawn tight andthe end brakes are put on; but this tension ot the rods E F so moves the short levers G G' as to cause them to draw upon rods E' F', and thus put ou the inside brakes.

I claim nothing ot this construct-ion, nor for the principle of operation. My object-namely, A to provide a means for operating these brakes, upon an entire train by a single operation-is as follows:

Under the center of each car I journal a hori-l zontal gearwheel, H, rigidly secured upon the lower end of a vertical shaft, I. This gearwheel may be suitably boxed and supported, as shown.

MM' are the operating-rods. These are made with teeth and form rack-bars, as shown, where they pass the gear-wheel H, and are supported in suitable guides, J, under the car. They eX- tend upon each side of and engage with the 7o gear H. They consist each ot' two separate rods, rendered extensible by having an eye or socket, a, upon the end of one, through which the end ot' the other loosely passes, and is provided with a piu, b, to limit its extension. The rst section is adapted to strike against the boxing ot the central gear, H, in order to limit its retraction. The two sections may thus be pushed together or drawn outto their limit.

If rod M be drawn toward the end of the car 8o the gear-wheel H will turn, and if the rod M upon the other side be drawn toward the other end of the car the said gear will also be turned, and in the same direction. In order to return the gear-wheel and rods I have the following device: Upon the shaft I is a pulley, Q, to which a cord or chain, g, is attached, the other end of which is attached to a spring, S, secured to the end of the car.

P is a chain or cord attached to the end of 9e lever D, and having its other end attached to the vertical shaft I and adapted to be wound up thereon. When the rodMis drawn the gear H, being t'astupon shaft I, will revolve said shaft and wind up the chain I), thus drawing upon lever D and operating allthe brakes upon the ear, as hereinbet'ore described. The oper- -ation of rod M', when pulled in the direction in which it is adapted to be drawn, will accomplish a like result. The rods and gear-wheel roo are always returned when relieved by the spring S. I provide each car of a train with these devices, and when brought together the projecting ends of the rods M M upon each car are suitably coupled, thus forming two continuous operatingrods throughout the entire length of the train. When the end of these continuons connected rods is drawn they are al'eeted throughout their length and operate the braking devices upon each car. One of these rods, which is adapted to be drawn forward, will be connected by means of any suitable winding device with the locomotive, and may be operated bythe fireman. The other rod, being adapted to be drawn backward, will be operated from the caboose. By thus hav- 'ing two rods working in different directions either end of a car may be coupled and the whole train reversed.

My object in making the operating-rods M M under each car extensible is to provide for the slack between the cars ot` a train.

The draw-heads have usually sudcient play to make them springy, and this play'or slack, when extended through an entiretraimheeomes of importance. It' the operating-rods were not extensible, they would not be in proper position, nor could they yield to conform to this slack. I trst so adjust my connections that the rods M M will extend beyond-the ends of 3o the cars to the utmost limit of the play of the draw-head. 'Ihat being the case when the tension of the train is on, the rods will be ready to be operated, and when the tension is relieved and the slack begins the rods will yield to it and shorten themselves in conformity therewith.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. In a car-brake device, a series of rackba-rs adapted to move pinions and windin g devices which operate the brakeshoes, said rackhars being provided with sliding telescopic connections to take up the slack, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

2. In a device adapted to brake a series of cars simultaneously, the combination of telescopic rack-bars and winding devices with the spring P, interposed between the brake-lever D and the shaft I, substantially as and for the purpose described.

In witness whereof I hereunto set my hand.

AMOS C. SPRINGER.

Witnesses:

G. l). COLE, E. B. HOLLADAY. 

